


Unhappily Married

by AnnaOnTheMoon



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Angst, Divorce, F/M, Fluff, Jack Crusher's Death, Stargazer era, Unhappy marriage, infidelity themes, marriage separation, wibbly wobbly timey wimey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-13
Updated: 2019-09-16
Packaged: 2020-10-18 00:26:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20630036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnnaOnTheMoon/pseuds/AnnaOnTheMoon
Summary: Jean-Luc Picard has been in a loveless marriage with his Academy sweetheart for over fifteen years.  When Jack Crusher dies, Jean-Luc realises he is in love with Beverly, and Beverly realises she is in love with him.Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey.A story in two parts.





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> I have changed the dates around from canon to suit my story. Jean-Luc and Beverly are ten years apart and met when Jean-Luc was 30/Beverly 20. Beverly didn't have Wesley until she was 30.

Jean-Luc glanced at his wife in the third row of chairs, looking clearly bored. Frankly, Jean-Luc wasn’t sure _why_ she had decided to come – she hadn’t bothered to get to know any of his regular crew, let alone the ones who were his friends. He and Phillipa had married in haste, as far as Jean-Luc was concerned, shortly after Jean-Luc had been promoted to Captain. At the time, Phil had argued for the marriage so she could then reveal their marriage to create a mistrial in the court martial over his previous Captain’s death, and Jean-Luc had gone along with it. 

That had been over fifteen years ago, and he and his wife hardly saw each other owing to their schedules. Frankly, Jean-Luc was fairly certain she mostly enjoyed the prestige of being married to the man who had been the youngest person _ever_ to be promoted to Captain. They had no children, owing to her intense hatred for them. In fact, he could see her sneering at the child who was standing in front of his mother - a child who no longer had a father. 

Jean-Luc hoisted the small boy up into his arms and the boy immediately laid his head on his honorary uncle’s shoulder. Beverly smiled. ‘Thanks,’ she mouthed. Beverly was standing between Jean-Luc and Walker Keel, his other best friend, as they listened to the service Bevely’s in-laws had insisted for their son, her now deceased husband. 

Jack Crusher had died while serving with Jean-Luc on his ship. It had been a stupid accident, one that no one had expected and one that had claimed the lives of three crewmen and had left four transferred to Starfleet Medical for long-term care. In fact, it had been Walker who had pulled Jean-Luc away and sealed the blast doors, saving the rest of the crew from the explosion. 

Jean-Luc noticed that Wesley had become heavy and he tried to glance at his face. “He’s asleep,” Beverly whispered. “I’ll take him.” Jean-Luc shifted the young boy into his other arm and reached for Beverly’s hand, squeezing it gently.

“It’s alright. I don’t mind.” His hand remained in Beverly’s for the rest of the service, much to Phillipa Picard’s disgust. She wasn’t even sure why she had offered to go, except that she had seen the raw attraction between Jean-Luc and the now widow at Jack and Beverly’s wedding, and she had read between the lines when Jean-Luc would write to her of Beverly’s visits, and she knew Jean-Luc had doted on Beverly’s son when he was born, almost treating him as if he were his own. Phillipa shuddered. _Children._ She _hated_ children.

After Jack’s casket had been lowered into the ground, Phil had expected Jean-Luc to pass the little brat back to his mother and return with her to her hotel for a few hours. She was dismayed to learn that Jean-Luc was going to return to Beverly’s small home along with Walker to raise a glass to their friend with Beverly. Jean-Luc had invited Phil to join them, but she declined. Instead, she whispered into Jean-Luc’s ear that she had recently been to Paris and purchased some new Lingerie he might be interested in. Jean-Luc kissed her cheek and told her not to wait up for him.

###

Wesley had been carried to his bed by Jean-Luc, and he watched as Beverly gently undressed her son and tugged his pyjamas on. Beverly kissed his forehead and turned out the light to his bedroom before Jean-Luc placed an arm across her back and held her close to his side. He squeezed gently. “How are you _really_, Bev?”

“I don’t know. I mean, one minute we were planning shore leave to take Wesley camping again and the next you...” she sniffed and Jean-Luc turned his head to kiss her temple. 

“It’s alright if you need to cry. I know you were trying not to at the funeral.” Beverly turned into Jean-Luc and buried her head against his chest. 

“I wanted to be strong for Wesley.” Jean-Luc awkwardly patted her back.

“I know.” 

“I’m thinking about leaving Starfleet. Maybe start up private practice. Only...” she trailed off and Jean-Luc tilted her chin up.

“Only what?”

“Then I realised I have no place to go. Jack and I never got around to buying a house....and I don’t want to go back to Caldos,” she shuddered. “Caldos is _not_ a good environment for a child like Wes.”

“You could go live at my house,” Jean-Luc said softly. Beverly glanced up at him and snorted.

“With you and _Phil_? The child-hating b....sorry.” Beverly flushed and Jean-Luc chuckled. 

“No, not with me and Phil. Phil has her own house. I meant that you could go to my parent’s house in La Barre. My brother has a little boy around Wesley’s age. It’s a small village, but...” Beverly smiled.

“Thanks. That’s a nice offer. Wouldn’t your parents object?” Jean-Luc snorted.

“My mother and father? My mother who adores Wesley and my father who likes you better than my wife? No, they wouldn’t mind one bit. Why don’t I take you and Wes there and you can take some leave...don’t make any decisions quite yet.” Beverly smiled and kissed Jean-Luc’s cheek.

“Thank you. You’re....you’re good to me.” 

“Are you two joining me?” Walker called from the living room. Beverly laughed when Jean-Luc called back, “No, I’m ravishing Beverly.” 

“Without me?” Beverly barely had time to react before Walker joined them in the hallway and nuzzled against her neck. It was an old game between the friends. They had all met when Beverly was twenty and at the Academy and Jean-Luc and Walker had been at command for two years before Jean-Luc was about to finally take out the _Stargazer_ under his own command. They had met Jack, a newly graduated Ensign, and hit it off with him immediately and the three new friends had met Beverly through Walker’s younger sister, a fellow classmate of Beverly’s. Even though Jean-Luc had been married for just under two years at that point, he couldn’t help but participate in the flirting that had been going on between all of them. Beverly suddenly burst into tears.

“Oh, shit! Bev...please don’t cry...I’m sorry...Johnny, what did I do?” Beverly pushed herself closer into Jean-Luc and he patted her back again shrugging his shoulders slightly at his friend. He gently led Beverly over to the sofa where he sat down with her on his lap.

“Shhh...sweetheart. Talk to us.” Beverly sniffed.

“Walker was kissing my neck and I expected Jack to come in and make a comment about you two stealing his wife and now he—“ she bit back a sob. “He won’t ever say that to us again.” 

“I’m sorry, Bev. I wasn’t thinking.” 

“It’s not your fault, Wally. We....can I ever have fun again?” Jean-Luc softly smiled and pushed her hair over her shoulder so he could press a kiss to her cheek.

“Someday, Bev. I promise.” She nodded and stifled a yawn. 

“Sorry.” Walker chuckled.

“You pooping out on us, Bev? We have some drinking to do. A toast, to the man himself,” Walker poured out generous glasses of a dark liquid and passed one to Jean-Luc. Beverly slid off Jean-Luc’s lap to sit between him and Walker and took the proffered glass. “To Jack, one son of a bitch!”

“But he was _our _bitch.”

“The best....bitch,” Beverly choked out. The three friends drank their first glass, and a second, and a third.

Walker stretched out on the sofa with his legs on Beverly’s lap. “I can’t move.” Beverly shoved his legs off her lap and rose to her feet unsteadily. 

“I’m going to bed. You two can fight out who gets the sofa.” Walker sat up. 

“And does the loser, I mean, winner, get to share _your_ bed?” Beverly threw a throw pillow at Walker’s head.

“Dream on. Loser share’s Wesley’s bed.” Walker made a face. “Ugh, last time he wet the bed.” 

“He’s never wet the bed when I’ve shared his bed.” Walker grinned at his friend.

“Then, it’s settled. Johnny you’ll share Wesley’s bed, and I’ll sleep on the sofa.” Jean-Luc rolled his eyes. 

“Fine. Beverly, may I escort you upstairs?” He held out his arm and Beverly took it willingly, feeling the several glasses of whatever it was Walker had found for them to drink. 

“Thanks.” They got upstairs to Beverly’s room and she flung herself on her bed face down.

“Bev? Might want to take off your shoes at least? Maybe that skirt, too?” 

Her voice was muffled by her pillow, but he still heard her speak. “If I was sober and we hadn’t just buried my husband, I’d make a joke about you wanting me naked.” Jean-Luc chuckled.

“You found me out. But seriously, do you need my help?” 

“I’m ok. Wait. Maybe...can you take off my shoes and tights for me?” 

“Sure.” Jean-Luc carefully removed Beverly’s high heels, marvelling over how women could ever walk in those and then gently peeled off the tights she was wearing. Beverly let out a little giggle and a sigh when she lifted her hips and Jean-Luc touched her rear, but he soon heard her soft snores and he chuckled as he finished pulling the tights off her feet and tossed them into her hamper. He pulled the spare blanket off the foot of the bed and covered her with it. “Sweet dreams, Bev.” 

Jean-Luc stripped down to his boxers and undershirt and got into the bed next to Wesley. He was _sure_ Walker was over exaggerating about Wesley wetting the bed every time he stayed with him. Jean-Luc moved a few stuffed animals Wesley liked to sleep with in his “big boy bed” as he called it and soon Jean-Luc had fallen asleep.

When he woke up a few hours later he wasn’t alone, and it wasn’t just because he was sharing Wesley’s bed with him. At some point, Beverly had entered Wesley’s room clad in her nightgown and managed to wiggle her way onto the bed next to Jean-Luc and had rested her head on his chest. Jean-Luc sighed. He knew it wasn’t because Beverly was used to sharing her bed - Jack had usually been on the _Stargazer_. Still, Jean-Luc wondered if Beverly really _would_ be okay, and he decided he would take some leave at the same time as Beverly and stay with her at his parent’s for a few weeks...at least until he thought she was coping. 

###

Jean-Luc’s communicator went off at some point in the early hours, waking him up. He grabbed it off Wesley’s nightstand. “Picard.”

_“Jean-Luc, where have you been?”_ He sighed. 

“I told you I was going back to Beverly’s with Walker. We drank a toast to Jack and I was in no shape to try to leave Beverly’s last night.” Silence. Next to him in the bed, Beverly stirred and groaned.

_“What was that?” _

“I’m in Wesley’s bedroom. Walker took the couch, and I’m sharing Wesley’s bed.” 

_“That didn’t sound like a child’s groan.”_

“How would you know? You’ve never been around children. I’m going to get more sleep.” 

_“I’m leaving at 0700.” _

“Ok, have a safe trip back. Picard out.” Next to him, Beverly snorted. 

“Would you just divorce her already?” Jean-Luc rolled over, careful of Wesley , to face her. 

“You don’t think I’ve tried? I’ve been suggesting it for ten years. We never see each other, and she has no intentions on giving up her post to join me on my ship. We don’t have children...Phil didn’t _want_ children. But....she always refuses.” He sighed. “Guess I’ll have to do something really heinous like have an affair.” 

“Hmm. It would have to be with someone she _really _ despises.....stop looking at me like that. We just buried Jack. But....maybe...” Beverly moved as if she was going to kiss him and Jean-Luc eagerly closed his eyes and he wound up with a licked nose. “Gotcha.”

He opened his eyes to roll them at her and wrapped an arm around her. “So, to what pleasure do I owe waking up in bed with you?”

“Would you believe me if I told you it was because I missed you?” 

“No.” Beverly sighed.

“I didn’t like being in bed alone. I mean, I know it’s stupid because Jack was hardly here, but...” 

“I understand. But why don’t we go to your room instead of cramming ourselves onto Wesley’s bed?”

“Do you think that’s wise?” 

“I think that I’m very tired and very hungover. And you just told me....” he flushed and Beverly giggled.

“I love teasing you. Come on, before Wesley wakes up.”

###

Wesley quietly stood next to his mother, one hand in hers, the other hand’s thumb stuffed in his mouth and looked at the large house. 

“Jean-Luc, are you absolutely _sure_ we can stay for a while?” Jean-Luc nodded.

“I cleared it with Maman. I’ll stay with you for a few weeks to get you settled and help you set up your practice and then Maman said it was no trouble...she even offered to look after Wesley while you’re at work since she already looks after Rene, she said it wouldn’t be a problem.” 

“Wow. Remind me to thank Yvette. And... what about Phil?” Beverly _hated_ bringing up Jean-Luc’s wife but she had to know how the woman felt about this new living situation.

“I, ah, didn’t tell her.” Beverly swatted Jean-Luc.

“Great. That’s what I need is for your wife to show up and be all angry that I’m here.” Jean-Luc shook his head.

“She won’t. Show up, I mean. I can’t guarantee she won’t be angry with me if she finds out. She hasn’t been to La Barre in...actually, I think she was only here once. She said it was ‘too dirty and remote’.” He shrugged. “That’s what I get for marrying a city girl from Paris.” Beverly contained her laughter and jiggled the hand that Wesley was holding. “What do you think, Wes?” Wesley mumbled something around his thumb. “Without the thumb Wes,” Beverly said to him exasperatedly. Wesley had almost stopped sucking his thumb, but he had begun again when Beverly and Jean-Luc told him about Jack’s death. Beverly didn’t want to bother him to stop, figuring it was his own way of self-soothing. 

“It’s big!” Jean-Luc chuckled. 

“My mother has said you may have my old bedroom.” Wesley’s eyes lit up.

“Wow, really? Does it have toys?” Jean-Luc scratched his head.

“It might.”

“Cool!” 

“And, my nephew is the same age as you. Maybe you can be friends with him.” Wesley nodded.

“Does he call you Uncle Johnny too?” Jean-Luc shook his head. 

“He calls me Uncle Jean.” Wesley frowned.

“But Daddy always said your name was Johnny.” Jean-Luc knelt down in front of Wesley. 

“Johnny and Jean are both nicknames for Jean-Luc.” 

“That’s what Mommy calls you!” Jean-Luc nodded. 

“It is. So you can keep on calling me Uncle Johnny if you want or Uncle Jean or Uncle Jean-Luc...just don’t call me hey you!” He tickled Wesley gently under his chin and Wesley giggled. Jean-Luc stood up and reached for Wesley’s hand. “Are you ready?” Wesley nodded. Jean-Luc looked over his head at Beverly. “And you?” Beverly smiled.

“As I’ll ever be.”

###

Beverly and Wesley had slowly settled into life in La Barre. Yvette Picard, Jean-Luc’s mother, had insisted on Wesley calling her Mémé, saying that she always wanted another grandson. She gave her son a pointed look when she said this and Jean-Luc could only grin. Jean-Luc had found out that the village doctor was thinking about retiring soon, and Beverly had agreed to take over his practice at least until they found a permanent replacement. She hadn’t been willing to offer to become the permanent replacement since she wasn’t entirely sure what she wanted to do with her life.

She had joined the Academy when she was seventeen, and had been in Starfleet ever since. She had never given a thought to anything else, just assuming that once Wesley was old enough, she would try for a position on a ship or base that would allow children to be on board. She thought maybe someday if she was lucky, she could become a Chief Medical Officer. It was a lofty goal, but she loved being out in the stars. She wasn’t entirely sure if turning her back on Starfleet now was such a good idea or if it would jeopardize her future, but for now...she _really_ didn’t want anything to do with it. In fact, Jean-Luc hadn’t worn his uniform around her in weeks simply because he knew how uneasy it currently made her feel.

Every time Jean-Luc would think about returning to his ship, he would change his mind, because he thought Beverly or Wesley might need him, even though Beverly had settled in fine and had his parents, plus his brother and Marie if she needed anything, and his childhood friend Louis and his wife. Wesley and Rene had immediately hit it off as if they were actually cousins, and Wesley was even going to start at the local school with Rene the following week. Jean-Luc glanced out the window and saw Beverly leaning against the railing with a cup of tea. She looked happy and peaceful, just how he wanted to see her. 

Jean-Luc came outside and stood behind her on the porch and she leaned back against him, resting he cup of tea on the railing. She had a shawl draped around her shoulders and had been watching her son play with Rene. “Thanks for bringing us here.” Jean-Luc rested his hands on the porch railing to support her. 

“I’m glad you like it here.” 

“It’s...” Beverly took in the expansive country side. “Peaceful. Beautiful.” Jean-Luc’s breath hitched at the tone in her voice. One thing he learned in the four months of his leave was how much he cared for Beverly. His feelings for her hadn’t changed, and if anything, they had only grown stronger. But he was determined not to make her ‘the other woman’ in his marriage.

“You’re...I’m sorry. I shouldn’t say anything.” Beverly turned around and placed a hand on his chest. 

“I’m what? Say it.” Jean-Luc looked down at her hand on his chest. 

“You’re beautiful.” Beverly leaned in and pressed a fast kiss to his lips.

“Thanks.” Jean-Luc groaned. 

“Beverly....I...” She smiled.

“Yeah, I know. Me too.” She turned back around and looked across at Wesley and Rene, playing in the sandbox together. “Look at him. He _loves_ it here. Having Rene around is like him having the brother he’ll never have.” Jean-Luc chuckled.

“Never say never, Bev. Anything could happen.” 

“Hmm. File for that divorce yet?” He grimaced, and Beverly felt him stiffen behind her. “I’m sorry. That was flippant of me.” Jean-Luc sighed.

“I’m going to talk to her again.” 

“Well, at least you can honestly say you haven’t done anything with me.” Jean-Luc buried his face in her hair. How he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her in a romantic way or not leave her at her bedroom door in the evenings. 

“I endeavour to be a gentleman.” Beverly turned around and smirked at him.

“I’d prefer you not.” 

“Beverly. Please.”

“Sorry.” She picked up her cup of tea from the railing she had left it on and continued to watch Wesley play with Rene. Jean-Luc dropped a kiss into her hair and wrapped his arms around her. 

“Don’t be. I wouldn’t have you be anyone else but you.” 

###

“Jean-Luc, have you heard from that wife of yours lately?” Jean-Luc was helping his mother hang out the washing later in the afternoon and he shook his head.

“No, Maman. Not in a few months. I haven’t seen her since Jack’s funeral.” She sighed. 

“And what are you going to do about Beverly? She loves you, you know.” Jean-Luc paused in hanging up a sheet and stared at his mother.

“She doesn’t.” Yvette steadied a look at her son. 

“Trust me, she does. A mother knows. And I know you love her.” Jean-Luc bowed his head.

“I do, Maman. I don’t know what to do. I _can’t_ allow myself to be with Beverly while I’m still married, even if my marriage is loveless. I can’t do that to Beverly. But...can I expect her to wait until Phillipa has decided to agree to the divorce? What if Phil never does?” 

“I do not know, Jean-Luc. I only know that I see two people in love when I see you and Beverly together, and I see a family when I see you with her and Wesley. Your wife might not have wanted children, but I can tell you do. And Beverly’s not too old to have another if you two get together soon....” Jean-Luc blushed.

“Maybe, Maman. Please don’t put the cart before the horse. Beverly might not be interested in anything beyond what we currently have.” 

“Hmm.” Yvette finished hanging out the wash from her basket and passed the empty basked to her son to carry back inside. “Talk to your wife.” 

###

Jean-Luc groaned when he checked his messages and saw the note from Walker. It was a simple message, reading “Call your wife.” No doubt Phillipa had spoken to Walker in that condescending way she always seemed to use around Jean-Luc’s friends when she had called the ship. He grumbled and debated calling Walker first to find out if he knew what she had wanted and to get some advice from his other best friend, but he grudgingly entered the comms code for the base where Phillipa was stationed instead. Best to get it over with. It didn’t take long for her to answer.

_“Jean-Luc, Darling. Where are you? I called the ship for you and that horrible Walker told me you had taken leave to be with your family. But, that can’t be right because _I’m_ your family.” _Jean-Luc sighed.

“I’m in La Barre.” 

_“Is everything alright?”_

“Yes, fine. I’m helping Beverly and Wesley settle.” Phillipa glared at him and he was sure if it was possible, the glass in the monitor would crack under her gaze.

_“Why?”_

“Well, Beverly and Wesley are going to be staying here for a while until Beverly decides what she’d like to do now that she’s on her own with Wes.” Phillipa pursed her lips.

_“No.” _Jean-Luc raised his eyebrows.

“I’m sorry?”

_“I do not want that woman in my home.” _Jean-Luc resisted rolling his eyes. So _now_ she wanted to call La Barre her home. 

“You’re in luck, this isn’t your home. It’s mine. Well, technically I suppose it belongs to my parents. Either way, you don’t get to decide who stays here.” 

_“It’s the family home.”_ Jean-Luc snorted. 

“Family? Since when were we _ever _a family? Tell me, Phil, in the fifteen plus years that we have been married, have you _ever_ cared about being a family? Have we ever lived in one place together? Would you just sign the papers so we can be done? A simple division of property back to its original owner – seeing as we never owned anything jointly. I won’t ask anything from you, if you don’t ask anything from me. We can file under irreconcilable differences. Then we can be done with this farce that never should have happened.” 

_“You could just sleep with her, you know. I can turn a blind eye....” _Jean-Luc glared at his wife.

“Is this _honestly _what you think this is about? That I just want to sleep with someone else? Phillipa. We haven’t even lived on the same piece of ground or even in the same sector for fifteen years. We see each other...once a year, maybe? This isn’t a marriage. It’s not even marriage adjacent. At best, we’re acquaintances.” 

_“I suppose you want to divorce me so you can marry her.”_ Jean-Luc’s glare intensified. 

“I’m not sure that that’s any of your business.” 

_“I’m your wife.”_ Jean-Luc’s glare turned into an eye roll.

“For now. Just sign the damn papers.” Jean-Luc stabbed the end transmission button, sat back in his father’s desk chair, and rubbed his temples. His fingers were soon replaced with smaller, delicate fingers. “Beverly, I’m not in a good place right now. I wouldn’t want to do anything I’ll regret later.”

“Like what?” Beverly spun his chair around and kissed him. He opened his mouth to protest, but she just deepened the kiss and he wrapped his arms around her. She straddled him and began trailing kisses from his ear down his jaw and neck and he let out a moan. 

“Oh, God. Beverly. What I’d like to do with you right now...”

“Oh? What’s that?” Jean-Luc groaned when Beverly unbuttoned his shirt and ran her hands down his chest. 

“Beverly, no.” Beverly had pulled off the simple dress she had been wearing and Jean-Luc squeezed his eyes shut, but not before he committed Beverly’s body clad in her underwear to his memory. 

“Open your eyes and tell me what you want.” 

“You. I want you.” Jean-Luc opened his eyes and reached for her hips. He buried his face against her chest. “Beverly, Beverly...you’re so beautiful.” He pressed kisses to the tops of her breasts, then pulled away. “But...we can’t. We...._shouldn’t._ Beverly,” Jean-Luc reached for her hands and clasped them in his. “Beverly, I don’t want you to be the other woman in my marriage. I want to be a free and clear man. But right now, I want to make love with you so badly.” Beverly softly smiled and leaned in to press a slow and sensual kiss to his lips. 

“I...I wouldn’t _mind_ being the other woman...”

“I would. Beverly...please. Give me time. But....know that I want you. I love you.” 

“I love you, too.” Beverly slipped her dress back on and gave him a quick kiss. “I’ll see you later.”

###

_ “You’re having an affair with her, aren’t you?” _Jean-Luc shook his head in wonder at his wife. He had only called his wife to find out why she hadn’t yet returned the paperwork he had sent her. 

“No. I told you, it’s not about me wanting to be with someone else. It’s about our marriage not actually being a marriage.” 

_“But you want to.”_

“I still maintain that’s none of your business, Phil.”

_“I know you take her out to dinner and to the village pub. And you spend time with her brat and think he’s your kid.” _Jean-Luc scrutinised his wife on the screen. 

“I’m not sure _how_ or _what_ you think you know, but Beverly and I have only been out in the context of friends. I’ve taken her to meet a few people so she would have some friends after I leave and I’ve taken Wesley out a few afternoons as well along with my nephew to spend time with them and to give their mothers a break.” 

“_Hmm.”_

“What does that mean?” Phillipa wasn’t sure if she should admit to having him followed. She knew Beverly and him had kissed in public. She _knew_ that the only thing keeping Jean-Luc from sleeping with the younger woman was the wedding ring he wore. She smiled smugly at her husband. 

“_Nothing._” 

“I return to my ship in two weeks. I expect to see the divorce papers waiting for me.” 

_“Whatever. Good-bye, Jean-Luc.”_ Phillipa’s face faded and Jean-Luc sighed. His patience was running thin and he wondered if there was some kind of mandate for having an automatic divorce if one half of the couple refused to sign the papers, then realised with Phil working for the Judiciary, she probably knew and the answer was that there wasn’t anything like an automatic divorce. He wondered if he could divorce her off planet instead. Surely, there was a planetary judicial system somewhere that would grant him a divorce without her signature. He sighed. Phil really was stubborn. At this rate, they would be married until the day he died. 

###

Jean-Luc and Beverly were lying on a blanket outside long after Wesley had been put to bed looking up at the stars together. They had their hands entwined and were seeing who knew more star and constellation names. It was challenging, but Given Jean-Luc had been an astrophysicist and worked in Stellar Cartography before he became a flight controller and eventual Captain, not to mention the years he spent as a youth looking up at the stars, he definitely was “winning”. 

“I wish I didn’t have to leave to return to my ship, but....” Beverly smiled at him. 

“You’re a starship captain. You kind of need a starship. It’s what you do.” He grinned. 

“You sure you don’t want to come? Walker is there. He misses you.” 

“Hmm. And do you _really _ think that would be a good idea? Given we....” she blushed and looked away. 

“I know,” He moved a hand to gently cup her face and she leaned into his touch. They had spent many nights like this. Many nights just on the edge of being more than friends, many nights where he nearly asked her to be the other woman, many nights when Beverly wanted to tell him again that she didn’t care and wanted him anyway. 

But like all nights, it would end with a small kiss outside her bedroom door and whispered words of love. He would go and take a cold shower, and she would contemplate sneaking into his bedroom and waiting for him naked, but never would. Until tonight. 

Jean-Luc only had two weeks left before the end of his six month leave. He had offered to stay longer, even offered to turn in his commission if she wanted him to, but she understood. After all, hadn’t she been married to his second officer? Jack had been buried over four months ago, and her attraction to Jean-Luc had only grown – especially since they had been spending all their time, minus the few hours each day she was working in the clinic or he was helping out his father and brother, together. The increased time had only strengthened Beverly’s feelings, and she was pretty sure they had for Jean-Luc, too.

Per usual, Jean-Luc had walked Beverly upstairs and kissed her cheek gently outside her bedroom door and he gave her hand a squeeze. 

“Goodnight, Beverly.” 

“Night, Jean-Luc. I love you.” Beverly left her door open a crack and watched as Jean-Luc continued down the hall to the bathroom. When she heard the shower begin to run, she quickly changed into her nightgown and slipped out of her own room, closing the door quietly behind her. She carefully opened the door to Jean-Luc’s bedroom and grinned as she slid into the cool sheets. She didn’t think Jean-Luc would actually sleep with her since he was adamant that they wait until his divorce was final, but she thought he might be willing to cuddle. 

Jean-Luc hadn’t glanced at his bed when he entered his room with a towel wrapped around his waist. Beverly watched intently as Jean-Luc tossed his towel over the back of a chair and stood naked in front of his dresser. She couldn’t help herself. 

“Nice butt, Jean-Luc.” Jean-Luc spun around towards the bed and clapped a hand over his groin.

“Beverly? What are you doing in here? This is _my_ room.” Beverly grinned and fingered the blanket she had tucked herself under. 

“I know. I just thought we might cuddle.” Jean-Luc smiled and turned back around. Beverly wolf whistled and let out an “Awww” when he pulled on a pair of shorts. He slid into bed and held out his arm to her.

“Come here.” Beverly grinned and rolled onto her side. She started tracing light concentric circles on his chest making him shiver. He caught her hand. “Beverly,” his eyes were dark with desire, “What are you doing?”

“Just...touching. I know you don’t want to make love until you get rid of _that_,” she indicated his finger where he still wore his wedding band, “but we can still have a little fun....can’t we?” Jean-Luc grinned and stroked her back through her nightgown. 

“I suppose...if we set a few rules.”

“Like what?” Beverly’s eyes sparkled in the dim light and she let out a small giggle when Jean-Luc rolled them over.

“Well, for example,” he traced his fingers slowly down her body to where her nightgown had bunched around her hips. He slowly moved a finger down until it reached the waistband of her knickers and he continued to trace a line on top of the satin. “Nothing that could possibly be interpreted as intercourse.” Beverly whimpered and tried to push her crotch against his finger. 

“Oh....kay....” Beverly decided to play her own teasing game and she managed to roll Jean-Luc onto his back and she gently straddled him. She tugged her nightgown off and he raised his eyebrows. “Well, _you’re_ just wearing shorts.” He gently touched her back and she bit her lip as he distracted her from her own teasing. She shook her head and moved between his legs, where his desire for her was obvious. She blew first hot air, then cool air against the fabric. Jean-Luc shivered and jumped under her breath. She smiled. “So...I guess I can’t put my mouth _here_.” 

“N.....no,” he gasped out, sitting up slightly to see the saucy smirk on her face. “Come here, you.” Beverly straddled his hips once more and his hands moved up her chest lightly. He passed light fingertips across her nipples and she pushed her breasts into his hands. “I guess...touching your breasts is probably out of the question.” 

Beverly had her head thrown back and her mouth open in a silent moan. She fell against him and he moved his hands onto her back, continuing with the light touch. This time, hee slid his hands into the waistband of her knickers and continued to touch her backside lightly. 

Beverly was on fire. She grinded against Jean-Luc as his fingers created sensations she didn’t know she could have. Suddenly, she stiffened and relaxed against him. She pressed her mouth against his neck. “I’m sorry.”

“For?”

“I didn’t know I could...that that would....” she flushed.

“Beverly,” Jean-Luc tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and grinned at her. “Did you just....” 

“Yeah. I’m sorry.” He chuckled.

“Don’t be.” He tilted her head and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.” 

“What about you?” He shrugged.

“I’ll be ok.” He kissed her forehead again. “Get some sleep.”

“Jean-Luc, if you need to....I mean, I wouldn’t be offended.” She moved her hips against his and he groaned. He flipped them over again.

“Beverly, I want you so badly.” The anguish was clear on his face. Beverly knew he was wrestling with his choices. She leaned up and kissed him gently. 

“I know.” She slid out from under him and picked up her nightgown. “Maybe I should go before you get tempted beyond your control.”

“Too late for that.” Jean-Luc reached for her and buried his face in her hair. “The only thing keeping me from ravishing you right now is my desire for you to not be known as the other woman.”

Beverly slid her nightgown back on and sat up next to him in his bed and reached for his hand. “Would that be so bad? Maybe Phil would sign the papers if you did.” Jean-Luc shook his head.

“No. She basically told me to sleep with you and she would ignore it.” 

“Oh.” Jean-Luc got out of the bed and grabbed his dressing gown. 

“I’m going to...uhm....” 

“Take care of things?” Beverly smirked. Jean-Luc rolled his eyes.

“Something like that. Will you be here when I return?” Beverly nodded. “Good.”

###

Beverly slept in Jean-Luc’s bed every night those last two weeks, though they didn’t do anything quite as stimulating as that first night. It was Jean-Luc’s last night before returning to the Stargazer. Wesley had been particularly upset that night and it had taken Beverly extra time to get him to settle into bed. When she arrived in Jean-Luc’s bedroom and saw his case sitting by the door, it took everything in her not to burst into tears. She would miss Jean-Luc’s friendship and companionship after he left. Jean-Luc was sitting on the edge of his bed, still dressed and he patted the bed next to him. Beverly smiled at him and sat, facing him. He turned to face her and reached for her hands.

“Beverly...I’m sorry I can’t give you a date when we can be together. And I don’t...” he swallowed. “I don’t want to hold you back if you meet anyone. Please don’t think you have to wait for me. I don’t want you to be lonely.” Beverly gave him a soft smile.

“Jean-Luc, who would I meet? Most people have seen us together and if I’m not you, they call me Madame Picard and assume I’m the wife. Even at my office I get called Doctor Picard far more than Crusher....and this is with my name being on my door. I don’t think you have anything to worry about.” Jean-Luc raised his eyebrows.

“You didn’t tell me people think you’re my wife. Do you....correct them?” Beverly tossed her hair over her shoulder.

“Sometimes. But honestly, a lot of the time it’s easier to just go alone and pretend Crusher was my maiden name. Even at Wesley’s school, because he’s in Rene’s class and Rene told the teacher Wesley was his cousin, they registered him as Wesley Picard.”

“It doesn’t bother you? I mean, he’s Jack’s son. Regardless of what we become to one another, I wouldn’t want to take that away from him. Jack was a good man. He loved Wesley and you.” Beverly softly smiled.

“He did, but I also think he would have found it amusing for people to think Wesley was yours.” Jean-Luc gave her a wry smile. 

“He probably would take great delight in it.” Jean-Luc reached behind him and brought out a small box. “I have a present for you.” 

“My birthday was a few weeks ago and you gave me a present.” 

“I know. I just wanted to give you something I found up in the attic that belonged to one of my relatives.” Beverly raised her eyebrows and nudged him.

“A_ used_ gift?” He grinned back.

“Do you want it or not?”

“Yes.”

“It had a small card with it explaining what it was, so I left it in the box.” He passed her the box and she opened it slowly to reveal a small necklace with three clear stones increasing in size. She wondered briefly if they were diamonds and if this necklace was an antique from long ago. 

“It’s beautiful. What does it mean?” 

“It was called a journey necklace. The small stone at the top is a representation of our past together and the start of our friendship The middle stone is for the present.”

“And the largest one?”

“It represents the future,” he whispered as he took the necklace from her to put it around her neck. “The future I hope we can someday have together. I love you, Beverly.” He clasped it behind her neck and pressed a kiss to her cheek. She fingered the necklace. 

“I love it _and_ you. Thank you. And we _will_ get to have that future....even if it takes twenty years.” 

“Well, let’s _hope_ it doesn’t take that long.”


	2. Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two years later...

Phillipa continued to refuse to sign the papers, but Jean-Luc _did_ have a lead that Phil hadn’t seemed to notice. They had been married on Risa, and though part of the federation, Risian law stated that you _could_ sue for an uncontested divorce if you had cause to accuse your spouse of abandonment. Jean-Luc only hoped the court on Risa would agree with him. He sent off the required documentation before he was called to the bridge by Walker, who was still serving as his first officer though Jean-Luc suspected he would be given his own command soon.

“Captain, we’ve encountered a ship.” Jean-Luc took a look at the display screen.

“Friendly?” 

“Unknown.” Jean-Luc nodded. 

“Hail them.”

Instead of responding to the friendly hail from the _Stargazer_, the unknown ship decided to fire on them. The _Stargazer _fired in response, but soon their shielding was down to barely ten percent and Jean-Luc was forced to issue the abandon ship command. He and Walker were the last two standing on the bridge and once they knew the rest of the crew had safely evacuated, the two of them entered the last shuttle and Jean-Luc watched from the safety of his shuttle as his ship – his home for almost twenty years – completely came apart. 

“Do we have communications? We need to issue the distress call to Starfleet and get ourselves back into Federation space.” Walker fiddled with a few things on the screen in front of him and nodded.

“Communication is possible between shuttles and pods as well.”

“Good. Let’s regroup.”

After speaking with Command, they were ordered to return to Starbase 32, which had Jean-Luc groaning. Starbase 32 was where his wife was currently stationed. On the other hand, it also was where his old friend and first Captain, Admiral Quinn was stationed. Admiral Quinn contacted Jean-Luc and explained to him that he would have to appear before the judiciary board, and he would be contacted by someone in legal. He frowned and glanced at Walker.

“You gonna call her?” 

“Who? Phil? Why bother?” 

“I meant Beverly.” Jean-Luc smiled. 

“I should at least send her a message so she doesn’t worry about us.” Walker snorted.

“Us. Right. Because she definitely is in love with me and has been waiting for my wife to grant me a divorce for the past two years.” 

“You don’t have a wife.”

“Exactly. Now then, should I start putting the call through for you?” 

###

_“Are you injured?”_ Jean-Luc shook his head.

“No, Bev. I’m fine. Walker is fine. A few cuts and scrapes and one person got burned, but we were pretty lucky.” Walker stuck his head next to Jean-Luc’s.

“Hi, Bev.”

_“Hey, Walker. How long will it take you to get home?”_

“Home? I don’t know. There’s going to be an inquiry over the loss of the ship once we reach Starbase thirty-two, and it will depend on how long that takes and what the outcome is.” Jean-Luc glanced over at Walker.

“It’ll take us six weeks to get to the base at this speed, but this is as fast as we can go.” Beverly nodded at her friend.

_“Ok. Do you want me to tell your parents what happened?” _Jean-Luc rubbed the back of his neck.

“You better. And is Wes around? He might need to see me with his own eyes.” Beverly grinned.

_“He and Rene just came home from school. I’ll get him.” _He watched Beverly get up and he was looking at an empty desk chair while she went to retrieve her son. Beverly had decided shortly after Jean-Luc went back to his ship to stay in La Barre indefinitely and formally took over the medical practice in the village. Wesley was thriving at the local school, and at seven was already displaying skills far above his age group. Things were getting a little confusing for him since he was now well aware that Jean-Luc wasn’t his step-father, but he still was using Picard at school. Beverly even contemplated changing his name legally to Wesley Picard, but never wanted him to feel as though she hadn’t thought his father was important in their life.

_“Hi, Uncle Jean. Hi Uncle Wally.”_

“Wes. I wanted to talk to you before you heard anything at school, since I’m sure it will be on the news network soon enough...the _Stargazer_ was destroyed.” Wesley gasped and peered at his honorary uncles.

_“What happened?”_

“We were attacked by an unfriendly ship. We don’t actually know who they were. But I’m alright, Uncle Wally is alright. It just might be a while before we see you since we’re on slow moving shuttles right now.”

_“Oh. Hey, guess what? I lost a tooth at school!” _ Jean-Luc grinned.

“Open your mouth at let me see.” Wesley opened his mouth and pointed to the spot in his mouth.

_“Seee?”_

“Nice, Wes.”

_“Yeah, it was all bloody when it came out. It was cool.” _Jean-Luc concealed his eyeroll. 

“I’m sorry, Wes, we can’t stay on now. We have limited communications and I need to let other people call their loved ones. Can you get your mom again for me?”

_“Uh-huh. MOOOOOOOOOM!!!” _This time, Jean-Luc rolled his eyes, but he smiled when Beverly’s face appeared.

“Sorry, Beverly. I need to go and let other people contact their families. Our relay isn’t quite strong enough so we have to share it between the shuttles” 

_“I understand. Keep me updated? You can just send me messages instead of calling. I’ll talk to your parents and let them know we won’t see you in two weeks after all.” _

“No, probably not. Maybe more like twelve. I’m sorry.” 

_“It can’t be helped. Stay safe. Wal, take care of him.” _He watched Beverly play with her necklace and he grinned at seeing it still around her neck. She wore it as a symbol that one day they would be together. Walker grinned at his friend.

“I always do, Bev.” 

_“We’ll call you when we can. I love you. Picard out.”_ The screen faded and Jean-Luc had Walker contact the next shuttle for those crewmen to contact their families before he grabbed a cup of tea for himself and a cup of coffee for Walker from the small replicator in the shuttle. Walker accepted the cup and eyed his best friend. 

“Have you seen Phil in the past two years?” 

“Nope. All of my leave has been spent going home to see Beverly and Wesley. Phil’s never asked me to visit her, and never indicated wanting to visit. In fact, we only speak every few weeks and the conversation mostly consists of me asking her if she’s signed the papers yet.” Walker frowned.

“What _is_ her problem?” Jean-Luc shrugged. 

“Who knows? I don’t even think she loves me. At least, not in a romantic sense.” 

“You did, once.”

“Don’t remind me. I mean, the relationship _was_ pretty good, but I never should have agreed with her to marry me in order to get the court case thrown out. I would have survived it without her help.” 

“Maybe she wanted your name.” 

“I think _that’s_ obvious. But she can keep it in the divorce. I don’t care.” Walker eyed his friend.

“Right, but if you turn around and marry Beverly,” he held up his hand to stop Jean-Luc from speaking, “And _don’t_ tell me you wouldn’t ask her. Anyway, if you marry Bev, then she would become the wife of the man to have been the youngest captain and Phil would just be your ex.” Jean-Luc rolled his eyes.

“Do you really think there’s that much prestige behind a title I earned nearly twenty years ago?” Walker shrugged.

“Who knows. But why don’t you just make Beverly your lover since Phil seemed to approve of it?” Jean-Luc took a sip of tea in contemplation. It was a question he often asked himself in the past two years, anytime he visited and he and Beverly cuddled in bed at night together or walked hand in hand through the streets of his village. 

“Honestly, Walker, I don’t know anymore. At first I think I thought it wouldn’t be right to have Beverly be ‘the other woman’ if you know what I mean. But now....” Jean-Luc rubbed the back of his neck. “I really regret my own sense of chivalry sometimes.” Walker laughed and clapped his friend on the back.

“Hey, maybe losing the ship will make Phil leave you!” 

“Well, _there’s_ a potential silver lining.”

###

The shuttles docked in groups of three, and Jean-Luc and Walker were in the last group. When they opened their shuttle, Jean-Luc was surprised at the red-headed woman who enveloped him in an embrace. 

“Beverly, what are you doing here?”

“I called Admiral Quinn and asked him for a favour. I needed to see you.” Jean-Luc twined their hands together and smiled.

“I’m glad you’re here. Did you bring Wes?” Beverly shook her head.

“No, he’s at home. Marie offered to look after him so he wouldn’t miss school.” Walker eyed the couple and poked Beverly in the shoulder.

“Don’t I get a hello?” 

“Oh! Sorry, Wal!” Beverly gave her friend a hug and Walker kissed her cheek. 

“Well, I’m going to see about getting quarters assigned to everyone. Jean-Luc, I’ll let you know our assignment. Bev, I assume you’ll be staying with us?” Beverly nodded.

“Actually, we have quarters. I asked for rooms for the three of us when I arrived. Deck 12, suite 1204.”

“Ok. I’ll meet you guys there.” Walker took off in the direction of the Quartermaster’s office to get assignments for the rest of the crew.

Jean-Luc continued to hold Beverly close. “It’s not that I’m upset you’re here, but you do realise Phil is stationed here?” Beverly nodded. 

“I know. But honestly, what’s she going to do? Call me the other woman? We both know what we have and haven’t done.”

“True.” He placed his arm around her back. “I’m going to have to report to Quinn. Can I walk you somewhere first?” 

“Why don’t I wait for you and Walker in that little cafe we all used to frequent when I was stationed here? We can have dinner together.” Jan-Luc rubbed Beverly’s arm.

“I don’t know how long this first meeting will take. Are you _sure_ you want to wait for me?” Beverly nodded. 

“I have a PADD and some medical journals to read.” Jean-Luc kissed her cheek outside the cafe. 

“I’ll see you later.” 

Jean-Luc rounded a corner and Walker fell into step with him. “Everyone has temporary quarters assigned. Most upper ranks are in doubles or quads, but the Ensigns are in a communal dorm room. We’ll all have to stay here for a while and then I guess most people will be reassigned, unless we get a new ship right away.” Jean-Luc admired his friend’s optimism.

“I think you’ll be Captaining your own ship before I get behind the helm of another ship.” 

“Eh. Quinn likes you.” The pair halted outside the door to Quinn’s outer office and entered, nodding to the receptionist. She pressed a button on her desk.

“Admiral, Captain Picard and Commander Keel are here.” 

_“Send them through, and bring the Captain a cup of Earl Grey tea and a coffee for Mister Keel.” _Walker exchanged a grin with Jean-Luc before they entered the inner office. 

Admiral Quinn was seated behind a large glass desk and had an array of PADDs in front of him. 

“Ah, Jean-Luc. Before we begin, have you seen your Beverly?” Jean-Luc flushed slightly.

“Greg, she’s not _my_ Beverly. She’s.....ah....” Walker nudged him. 

“She is.” 

“I’m sorry, Jean-Luc. Beverly indicated to me that the two of you planned on getting married.” Jean-Luc choked on his tea and Walker thumped his back. 

“She...she did?” Jean-Luc had a goofy smile on his face and Walker rolled his eyes. 

“Johnny , it’s not like you didn’t _know_ this.” 

“Well, I had _hoped_. But...it’s been two years with no progress towards my divorce..anyway. Sorry, Greg. We’re not here to discuss my personal life.”

“Or love triangle,” Walker quipped. 

“You know I have always viewed you as a friend first, Jean-Luc. And I do know you care for Beverly and that your wife is...less than forthcoming with your divorce.”

“Yes, well. She’s here on the base, so perhaps I can convince her in person it’s for the best. But, we are here for our briefing and to find out what will be happening.” 

“Ah, yes.” Quinn had them take him through the entire destruction, starting with the unknown potential enemy ship.

“And they never responded to your hails?”

“Only with fire power, sir. We did manage to transfer our records over to the shuttle before we evacuated. It should have everything including images of the ship. Their first shot took out twenty percent of our shielding. We had no choice but to fire back.” 

“Yes, I don’t see where you had any other choice,” Quinn sighed. “However, you know there’s going to be an investigation.” 

“I understand, Sir.” Quinn laid his hands flat on his desk.

“Honestly, it’s only a formality, but we’ll need to speak with the rest of the bridge crew.” Jean-Luc nodded.

“Commander Keel was in charge of assigning quarters. He can get your office in touch with them to make appointments.” Quinn hedged.

“Actually, Jean-Luc...it will be with Judiciary. I’m sorry.” Walker shot a grin towards his friend.

“At least we know it won’t be Phil. It’ll be a conflict of interest with her still technically being your wife!” Jean-Luc rolled his eyes.

“I suppose that’s another positive.” Quinn smiled at his former protégé.

“Indeed. Captain Thatcher is in charge, and he’ll be assigning staff to perform the interviews. I’ll contact you with more information, but for now, enjoy a bit of relaxation time. You are dismissed.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

As Jean-Luc and Walker left the office, Jean-Luc turned to Walker. “Bev’s waiting for us in that little cafe on the promenade we used to go to years ago.” Walker wiggled his eyebrows.

“Are you sure you want me along? In fact, do you want me to get my own quarters assigned?” Jean-Luc rolled his eyes and pulled Walker into an empty office they were passing.

“Number one-“

“Yes?” Jean-Luc shook his fist at his friend with a laugh.

“You’ve been waiting for twenty years to pull that on me, haven’t you?”

“Yep! Shame no one was around to hear it.” Jean-Luc shook his head.

“As I was _saying_. One, you’re Beverly’s friend too. Two, we share a bed but we don’t have sex. Three, we’re inviting you to eat with us.” Walker could only shake his head at his friend.

“I _still_ can’t believe you and Beverly haven’t had sex. I mean...what if you guys aren’t compatible?” Jean-Luc smirked. 

“Trust me, we’re compatible.” Walker raised his eyebrows.

“So then...you have. Way to go, Johnny!” Jean-Luc shook his head.

“No. We haven’t.” Walker winked. 

“I get it. You ‘haven’t’.” He used air quotes and Jean-Luc shook his head again. 

“Honestly, Walker. Are you forty-eight or eight? Beverly and I have not had intercourse, but we know we will be compatible because we’ve...done other things,” Jean-Luc finished lamely. There were just _some_ things you didn’t tell your best friend about your other best friend. Jean-Luc knew Jack had kept intimate details about his relationship and marriage to Beverly from the other two and he felt that was entirely fair. Some things just needed to stay between the couple. 

“Alright. I won’t ask again.” Walker activated the door and they exited the empty office. “Wonder who’s supposed to be in that office?” 

###

Beverly had her hair pulled up in a ponytail and looked much younger than her thirty-eight years when Jean-Luc and Walker joined her. Both men greeted her with kisses on her cheek and Walker plucked at the casual cardigan Beverly was wearing over her uniform. 

“Cold?”

“Yes. Why are these starbases _always_ freezing? I _hated_ it when I was stationed here for my internship. I actually took to wearing thermal underwear that year.” Walker squinted. 

“Damn, that just completely ruins the mental image of you in your underwear.” Beverly snorted.

“Sorry.”

“No, you’re not.” Walker sat across from Beverly and Jean-Luc had the choice of sitting across from Beverly or next to her in the booth. He opted for sitting next to her and her had immediately found his. 

“How was Quinn?” 

“It wasn’t bad, not really. Quinn accepts our version of events but will verify it with the files we downloaded and with the rest of the bridge crew, but there’s still going to be an investigation so I don’t know how long I’ll have to be here for or what the outcome will be yet. Quinn might assign me the next ship that needs a Captain, or I might have to wait and I’ll be assigned a desk at command or a starbase. I’m _really_ not looking forward to that.” 

“No, I imagine not. Wally?” Walker shook his head.

“I don’t know, either. I mean, I’m fairly certain none of us will be demoted or punished, but it’s all the stupid formalities. Johnny’s been a Captain for twenty years. It’s not like he doesn’t know what he’s doing. I’ve been with Johnny since the beginning and with the exception of our second officer, almost everyone had been senior staff for at least ten.” Walker saw the look on Beverly’s face when he mentioned a second officer. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to bring anything up.”

“No, it’s fine. I knew Jack would have to be replaced. It’s still just weird to think about and it still feels strange that there is an empty spot at our table.” She leaned against Jean-Luc and he wrapped an arm around her. “Sorry.” 

“Shh no need for either of you to be sorry. Beverly, Jack was your husband for six years. Of course I don’t expect you to forget about him after only two.” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “Besides, we’re at one of our old haunts, so the memories were bound to surface.” 

“Yeah.”

“Well, well, doesn’t _this_ look cosy.” Jean-Luc abruptly looked up when he heard his wife’s voice followed by the drum of her fingernails on the table. “You know, darling, you should have contacted me when your ship was destroyed. Why aren’t you just staying with me?” Jean-Luc could only stare up at his wife. Beverly, for her part, tried to detangle herself from Jean-Luc’s arm, but Jean-Luc held onto her. Walker finally looked at Phillipa.

“Philly!” Phil wrinkled her nose. 

“I hate when you call me that.” Walker grinned.

“I know. So, how’s the old judiciary whatever it is you do treating you? Have you signed those papers yet to dissolve your marriage to my pal Johnny?” 

“I work for the Judge Advocate General, Walker. You know that. And no, I have not. But it doesn’t look like I need to since I see my husband has decided to take my advice and take on a mistress.” Jean-Luc’s eyes flashed with anger.

“Phillipa. You know damned well that Beverly is not my mistress. She is my best friend and if you _must_ know we were just talking about her deceased husband as we reminisced about old times on this station and I was comforting her. Does that make you feel any better? And the reason I did not contact you about my ship or to come stay with you is because I did not wish to. I am sharing quarters with Walker close to the rest of my crew. It’s been a traumatic experience for some of them and they need their Captain accessible, not staying on the residency level on the other side of the station. Now. What are you doing here? I hope it was to hand deliver divorce papers with your signature, because if it’s _not_, I do not wish to see you.”

“I just thought I’d let you know that I’m one of the prosecutors for your court martial.” Jean-Luc looked at his wife coolly. 

“I do believe that would be a conflict of opinion since you are still my wife. But guess what? If you sign your name on those papers I sent, you can feel free to prosecute me all you want and as an extra bonus, you can prosecute your ex-husband and really stick it to me. Now, how does that sound?” Phillipa spun on her heel and stormed away, while Walker was busy cracking up. 

“Wow. She’s something else, Johnny. I don’t remember her being so uptight when we were at the Academy.” 

“She gets worse with age, Wal. Now, have you seen a server around? I think I need a drink.” Walker grinned.

“I’ll go up to the bar and order. Bev?”

“Whatever you’re having is fine.” She leaned into Jean-Luc and he could see she was visibly upset over the encounter with Phillipa. He rubbed her arm gently.

“Hey, don’t think about Phil. You said it yourself earlier. We know what we have and have not done together.” 

“The annoying thing is, I have about a dozen different retorts to her all lined up in my head, but could I say any of them as she accused me of being an adulterer? No.” Jean-Luc pressed a kiss to her temple.

“I’m sorry, my love.” Beverly blushed.

“You called me your love. I...”

“Sorry, I probably shouldn’t have done that in public.” Beverly shook her head.

“No, I like it. Don’t stop calling me that.” He kissed her temple again.

“Alright, my love.” 

Walker returned balancing three glasses of beer and distributed them. “You know, if you guys don’t want people to think you’re together as more than friends, maybe don’t kiss in public.” Jean-Luc flushed.

“I didn’t even think about it. I’m sorry, Beverly.” Beverly picked up her beer and took a sip.

“It’s alright. I suppose we’re used to being at home or in the village where no one knows Phillipa and just assumes I’m your wife.” Walker raised his eyebrows at the pair.

“No way!” Beverly took another sip before nodding.

“Mm-hmm. So many people just call me Madame or Doctor Picard, we even replaced the sign on my door at the office. And Wesley got registered at the school as Wesley Picard sort of by accident, so...” she shrugged. “It is what it is.” 

“Ok, but how do they register Wes as Picard by mistake?” Beverly shrugged.

“Jean-Luc’s nephew told his teacher Wesley was his cousin.” Walker began to laugh. 

“And you never corrected it?” 

“By the time I realised it, it was too late, really. And it’s fine. Wesley enjoys people thinking he’s a Picard, though I don’t think he’s realised it means they think Jean-Luc is his father. He just likes it because Yvette and Maurice refer to him as their grandson. I mean, Wes never had grandparents, not really. Jack’s parents never seemed to have time for him and Nana’s all the way on Caldos. So it’s been good for him to have some normal kid things like grandparents.”

“And there were never a more doting set than Yvette and Maurice, I’m guessing.” 

“Quite. Papa has even managed to finally forgive me for going off and joining Starfleet. I think Papa actually thinks Wesley _is_ his biological grandson the way he goes on about having two brilliant grandsons. Who knew all it took to cure Papa’s...._papaness_ was to give him grandchildren?” Walker wiggled his eyebrows at his friends.

“So will you give Wesley a little brother or sister?” Jean-Luc rolled his eyes.

“Walker!”

“I’m guessing by the look on your face that you two haven’t discussed more children yet.” Walker resumed drinking his beer and the friends fell into silence. 

Over their dinner, the friends were careful _not_ to talk about children, not even Wesley. Instead, Jean-Luc and Walker shared antidotes from the ship with Beverly and she told them about some of her odder patients. 

“I had one tell me he felt like a baby was on his chest. Not a baby _elephant_, but a baby. And he made sure I knew he meant a human baby and not an elephant, too. Also I had one young woman who definitely needs to go back and take either sex education or anatomy.”

“Oh no, you didn’t have a girl who thought she got pregnant from oral sex again, did you?”

“Worse, Walker. She had a lump on her tongue which apparently fell off because she handed it to me in a little jar and she said she was pretty sure it was he left ovary and asked me if this meant all her ‘baby eggs’ – her words – were now in her stomach. I...I had to leave the room.” 

“Couldn’t keep a straight face?”

“Nope. I made my nurse go in and speak with her about anatomy.”

“That’s what you get for taking a job out in the middle of podunkville, France. No offense, Johnny. I know you grew up there.” 

“None taken. La Barre isn’t _quite_ as backwards as you seem to think, but there is definitely a divide between the educated families and the....ones who don’t bother, shall we say. And I daresay that Beverly, as the village doctor will probably see more of these people because they think even a hangnail is a major medical emergency.” Beverly nodded.

“You’re not wrong, Jean-Luc. I’ve seen many maladies that are easily treated at home...or that don’t even require a doctor. Sometimes, it makes me miss Starfleet, but then I look at how happy Wesley is, and well, I like living with Jean-Luc’s family.” Walker grinned.

“Can’t beat Madame Picard’s good old French cooking.” 

###

The suite Beverly had procured for the threesome had two bedrooms, which made Walker raise his eyebrows but he wisely remained quiet as he said goodnight to his friends and replicated a pair of pyjamas before retreating to his bedroom. Beverly smiled at Jean-Luc.

“I packed a few things for you. I figured you lost everything.” Jean-Luc nodded.

“I did. All I have are the clothes on my back. I’m just glad I didn’t have anything of value on the ship. I feel bad for anyone who lost anything important, but at least Starfleet will compensate them for it.” Beverly tugged him towards their bedroom. 

“Come on. Let’s go to bed.” Jean-Luc stripped down to his boxers and got into the bed and Beverly rested her head on his shoulder. She threaded her fingers with his. “I’m glad you’re okay. Thank you for calling me right away.” Jean-Luc raised her hands to his lips and kissed them. 

“I didn’t want you to worry.” 

“Thanks.” Beverly rolled onto her side. “Jean-Luc, do you want to have a baby with me?” Jean-Luc didn’t know what to say. 

“Do you?” She laughed.

“I asked you first.” He smiled.

“I think,” he paused and gathered his thoughts, “I never thought I wanted a child until you and Jack had Wesley and I got to interact with a child. But I knew Phil never wanted any, so I always assumed I wouldn’t, either. I know that doesn’t answer your question. But I don’t want to make you think you _have_ to have a child with me or that I won’t treat Wesley as my own.” Beverly smiled. 

“Thanks. I think I might like to have a baby with you, but I don’t want to until we know we can be together. I mean, I know we’re together, but you know what I mean.” Beverly toyed with her necklace, moving the pendant back and forth nervously. 

“Beverly, I’d give you a ring right now and marry you the minute Phil signs those papers if you told me that’s what you want.” Beverly leaned forward and pecked his lips. 

“Yes, that’s what I want. If Phil signs the papers while we’re here, I want to ask Admiral Quinn to marry us. Now. I don’t want to wait, I don’t want to have a wedding. As nice as it would be to have a wedding...I just want us to be together. I’m not....please don’t think I’m tired of waiting. That’s not it at all. I just...”

“I know, my love. Me too. Should we go ring shopping tomorrow?” Beverly’s eyes gleamed. 

“Ok. Jean-Luc, I love you.”

“Beverly, I love you too.”

###

Jean-Luc left his wedding ring behind in the morning. Regardless of when Phillipa signed the papers, in his heart he had been divorced for years and only kept the ring on out of habit. Beverly noticed and it gave her a little thrill to think that the next ring he wore would be placed on his finger by _her._

“Johnny, the interviews with the rest of the crew start today, but you won’t be needed, so Quinn said to take the day off. He thinks it might get stressful soon enough.” Jean-Luc grimaced. 

“Isn’t that the truth. That’s good though, I have a shopping errand today.”

“Errand?” Beverly laughed. “Is that what you’re calling it? An errand?” Jean-Luc leaned across the breakfast table and pecked her lightly.

“No, sorry. Are we telling Walker?”

“Telling me what?” Beverly nodded.

“Beverly and I are engaged. We plan on getting married as soon as Phil decides to let me out of the farce of a marriage we have. Today, I want to get Beverly a ring.” Walker grinned and clapped Jean-Luc on the back.

“Congratulations! I mean, I kind of _knew_ you guys would get married.” Walker stood and walked over to Beverly. “May I kiss the bride?” 

“You may.” Walker tipped Beverly backwards and kissed her amidst her laughter. 

###

Jean-Luc walked into the makeshift court room and raised his eyebrows when he saw his wife. Surely the fact that she used Picard was a sign they were related? He motioned for Owen Paris to lean in and he whispered, “Why is Phil here? She’s my wife.”

“She said you’re divorced.” Jean-Luc’s eyes went wide. 

“That’s news to me. As of yesterday, she hadn’t signed the papers.” Owen shot an incredulous look at Jean-Luc. 

“She was told if this goes well, she’ll be put in for a promotion.”

“I see.” It would be just like Phil to not sign the papers until it was actually beneficial for her. Jean-Luc tried not to smile at the revelation that Phil had signed the papers. He wanted to excuse himself to go and tell Beverly they could be married, but he knew he couldn’t. He caught Walker’s eye and tilted his head in Phillipa’s direction and mouthed, ‘she signed it’ at his friend. Walker grinned. He hoped this was over quickly so Jean-Luc could tell Beverly and they could be married before Beverly needed to return to Earth...and maybe Jean-Luc would be able to go home with her and they could have a honeymoon together.

The court martial was brutal, with Phillipa not holding anything back and throwing every accusation she could at him until Jean-Luc suddenly realised that Phillipa was using hermaiden name and not Picard. He asked for a break to speak with his council and pointed this fact out to Owen Paris, who grinned. 

“I’m betting she never even told them she was married to you. We can use this to our advantage.” 

When they reconvened, Owen began questioning Jean-Luc.

“Captain Picard, can I ask you a personal question. Are you married?” 

“As far as I am aware, I am.” Owen nodded.

“I see, and could you tell us the identity of your wife?” Jean-Luc pointed at Phillipa.

“Phillipa Picard. We were married in twenty-three-thirty-three. I asked her for a divorce five years ago, but she refused.” 

“Objection!” Phillipa cried out. “How is this relevant?” Owen levelled a gaze at her.

“If you are still his spouse, you can’t prosecute him. It’s written into our laws that wives and husbands are barred from prosecuting each other. This same law applies if you are divorced, as it could be seen as getting revenge on the other. Judge?” 

The unknown man looked down at Phillipa, Owen, and Jean-Luc.

“Is this true, Ms Louvois? Or should I call you Mrs Picard?” 

“I signed the papers this morning.” 

“I see. Well, then. I do believe this case is closed due to a mistrial. Captain Picard, you are dismissed.” Jean-Luc grinned and on his way past Phillipa’s desk he leaned in close and hissed in he ear.

“Thank you.” He looked over at Walker and called over, “Hey Wal, fancy being my best man this afternoon?” Phillipa slammed her briefcase closed and stalked out of the makeshift courtroom, slamming the door behind. Walker grinned at his friend.

“You are evil, Johnny.” Jean-Luc shook his head. 

“Nah. She deserved it. Now, I believe I have a fiancée to talk to and a wedding to organise.” 

###

They organised their wedding in a few hours. Beverly wandered the promenade and picked out a dress she liked, and Jean-Luc organised a dress uniform for himself. They met in the outer office of Admiral Quinn’s office and Jean-Luc smiled when he saw his bride.

“You look beautiful, Beverly.” 

“You look good, too.” Jean-Luc tugged on his collar. 

“I _hate_ dress uniforms.” Beverly giggled. 

“I know.” He reached for her hand and they soon joined Walker and Admiral Quinn in his small office and they were soon repeating their wedding vows to each other. 

“You may kiss the bride.” Jean-Luc grinned and he met Beverly in a passionate kiss that had Walker blushing. 

“Uh, guys? I’m going to go get my own quarters for the night...” 

“Good.” Admiral Quinn smiled at his former protégé and his new wife. 

“May I be the first to congratulate Captain Picard and Doctor Picard?” Beverly was thrilled at officially being Doctor Picard, even if the people in La Barre thought she was his wife already. There was something special about it being official. “I have some news for you, Jean-Luc. I am granting you a few weeks leave. Take your wife on a honeymoon, take your step-son on holiday, and tell your parents about your wedding. Please call me in three weeks and we will talk about your next assignment.” Jean-Luc smiled at his mentor.

“Thank you, Greg.” 

Jean-Luc reached for Beverly’s hand, and the two strolled out of the office straight for their quarters, where they weren’t seen again until the following evening. 

###FIN###

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
